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Dungeon Crawlin' Fools
''The Order of the Stick: Dungeon Crawlin' Fools ''is the first volume of the Order of the Stick, and includes their adventures from #1-121, with the first comic being dated in 25 September 2003. It deals with a ragtag group of adventurers exploring the Dungeon of Dorukan, on a quest to vanquish the evil lich Xykon. For the list of comics in this book and their wikia pages, please click here. Plot The Order Introduced The eponymous team of adventurers, the Order of the Stick, are introduced in media res in combat against a group of Goblins. Subsequently they are updated to 3.5 edition of Dungeons & Dragons. To explore the Dungeon of Dorukan, the team splits up -- Haley, a human rogue, takes Vaarsuvius, an ambiguously-gendered elven wizard, and Belkar, a halfling ranger, while Roy, the human fighter and leader, picks Durkon, a dwarf cleric of Thor, and, reluctantly, Elan, a human bard. The former are chased by a squad of Goblin Ninjas, the latter by three ogres. Elan is heavily injured by the ninjas but is restored to health by Haley's potion. In the aftermath of the skirmish, he picks up one of the ogre's Girdle of Feminity/Masculinity. Wacky Dungeon Hijinks Foraying further into the dungeon, they encounter a room of goblin warriors; V manages to put them to sleep through an excessive monologue. Belkar vanquishes a goblin cleric, despite the latter's use of Unholy Blight, showing his Evil alignment. After a debate of whether to go up or down a level, Elan uses a special bardic power -- Summon Plot Exposition -- to reveal the Order's purpose; to defeat Xykon, the evil lich sorcerer residing in the dungeon, and to gain treasure. During watch duty, Roy is visited by his deceased father, Eugene, who cryptically informs him "when the goat turns, red strikes true." The Order is soon attacked by Trigak, a mercenary hired by Xykon, but the chimera is defeated mainly through V's unique Evan's Spiked Tentacles of Forced Intrusion spell. In his lair, Xykon complains over his discount mercenaries with his henchmen Redcloak and the Monster in the Darkness, but sends out another squad. Inspired by Durkon's lack of stealthiness, Elan decides that being naked makes him invisible. Roy manages to persuade him back into his clothes before Haley returns from scouting. Elan then wonders off into a room with a Squid Thingy. When the Order discovers him, the Squid Thingy attempts to eat Roy's brain. It is dragged off The Lawyers for being a violation of copyright law. The Order encounters a lethal trap which leaves Roy poisoned and unable to move. His father visits again, reminding him of the cryptic message earlier. As they delve further into the dungeon, Elan excitedly opens an unknown door to reveal the Linear Guild. The Guild consists of suspiciously-opposite counterparts of the Order, including Nale, the leader, and his associates: Thog, a half-orc barbarian, Sabine, a human rogue, Zz'dtri, a drow wizard, Hilgya, a dwarf cleric of Loki, and Yikyik, a kobold ranger. The Guild seeks the sacred relic: the Talisman of Dorukan. Roy agrees to assist them in return for aid against Xykon. They split up to find the Three Sigils of Fire, Air, and Earth that will grant them access to the Talisman. Nale and Elan, who physically resemble each other save for a goatee on the former, are revealed to be identical twins raised by separate parents. Several counterparts grow increasingly dissatisfied with each other, and the Guild members began showing their nefarious side as they cut down the Good-aligned protectors of the Sigil; only the guardian of the Air Sigil, the sylph Celia, is spared and instead Petrified into stone. The Linear Guild All of the members regroup in the Pit of Outdated Monsters, where Nale retrieves the Talisman and finally shows his true colors by backstabbing Elan. Sabine, revealed to be a shapeshifting demon/devil, and Hilgya take out Durkon, forcing Belkar to heal Elan. The Guild is able to seal the Order in a Wall of Ice and escape; however, Roy finally realizes his father's message and instructs Haley to shoot at the Talisman. By interpreting the prophecy correctly (when the guy with the goatee turns, the red-haired Haley will strike true), the Guild's retreat is cut off. Each of the Order, sans Durkon, faces against their Evil counterparts; Belkar kills Yikyik and uses his head for a hat, Haley drives off Sabine with her Manyshot feat, and Vaarsuvius invokes Zz'dtri's blatant ripoff of a famous fantasy character in order for the Lawyers to drag the latter away. Roy defeats Thog, and Elan holds off Nale, so they switch opponents: Thog is fooled by Elan's illusions. Nale attempts to escape but almost falls into the pit. Conflicted, Elan decides to choose Good over Neutral and rescue his evil twin. Celia is restored to flesh, and she takes Nale and Thog to prison up at the surface while providing the Order a shortcut into the lower dungeon levels. They accidentally leave Durkon behind. Hot Dwarf-On-Dwarf Action Hilgya, who had also been taken out of the fight, helps restore Durkon to health. They search for the Order, falling in love in the meantime, until she reveals she ran away from her marriage after attempting to kill her husband. Stricken, Durkon refuses to stay with her out of loyalty to dwarf honor, and they split up. Hilgya runs off in grief. Durkon returns to the Order to find Elan having set up his own god, a handheld puppet named Banjo the Clown, but having little success in securing followers. To Xykon! Attempting to sneak by a room of goblins with an Invisibility sphere, the Order's efforts are thwarted by Elan's poor dice roll and are chased by the soldiers. V masterfully uses Explosive Runes to fend off their pursuers. The Order escapes into a trapdoor with the help of Good teenaged goblins, who guide them to Xykon's lair. In the lair, Xykon and Redcloak prepare for the upcoming confrontation -- the lich's plan is to use a Good-aligned member of the Order to unseal Dorukan's Gate. One of the goblin teenagers betrays the Order, dragging Haley off, but she manages to escape after the teenager confesses Xykon's plans to her. Xykon preps up the MiTD for his big and powerful introduction to defeat the Order. Roy has Durkon cast Disruption on his sword that will specifically kill Xykon. They break down the door into the lair. Xykon manages to use reverse psychology skills that prompts Roy to send Elan to open the gate. Belkar's inability to protect the casters leads to V being paralyzed and Durkon breaking out his Thor's Might ability. Haley arrives and prevents Elan from touching the game; the two are held off by Xykon's Symbol of Pain. Roy battles his way to the sorcerer, and reminds him of his murder of Fyron Pucebuckle, which Xykon hardly remembers. The teenage goblin that had betrayed the Order crawls back into the lair and informs Xykon of Roy's Sword; he unceremoniously shatters it. Reminded of his sword's connection to their family legacy, Roy becomes enraged and throws Xykon into the gate's defenses, blowing up the sorcerer into pieces. Retreating into his phylactery, Xykon escapes with Redcloak and MiTD to fight for another day. After hoarding up on loot, Elan presses the Self-Destruction rune in the castle, forcing everyone to flee from the dungeon. He and Roy leap dramatically from the explosion as a final touch. Despite Roy's admonishments, Elan reminds him of their accomplishments: they've defeated Xykon, the Linear Guild, and any future plans of the sorcerer, unaware that Redcloak and the MiTD are still with a very much alive Xykon, the Linear Guild escapes from prison with Sabine's aid, and a zealous warrior seeks to hunt down the Order in their role of the Gate's destruction. Victorious, the Order poses for an ending panel. Locations * Redmountain Hills ** Dungeon of Dorukan *** Upper Floors (grey walls and yellow floor) *** Lower Floors (blue walls and green floor) * Elemental Dungeons ** Earth Dungeon ** Air Dungeon ** Fire Dungeon ** Pit of Outdated Monsters Cast The Order of the Stick * Roy Greenhilt * Elan * Haley Starshine * Durkon Thundershield * Vaarsuvius * Belkar Bitterleaf The Linear Guild * Nale * Thog * Sabine * Hilgya Firehelm * Zz'dtri * Yikyik Team Evil * Xykon * Redcloak * The Monster in the Darkness * Demon Roaches Minions of Team Evil * Trigak * Goblins * Ogres * Zombies * Ghouls * Zombie Ogres * Goblin Teenagers Other Characters Elemental Sylphs * Earth * Fire * Celia (Air) Miscellaneous * Eugene Greenhilt *Fyron Pucebuckle (Flashback) * Sara Greenhilt (Flashback) * Eric Greenhilt (Flashback) * The Lawyers * Banjo the Clown * Blackwing (Unnamed) * Thor * Loki *Surtur * Squid Thingy * Violet * Narrator (from bonus introduction) * Outdated Monsters * Flumphs * Fruit Pie *Miko Miyazaki (unnamed) *Lord Shojo (unnamed) Category:OOTS Books